Alliance Royal Armada

by Kenshul

After the fall of the Terran Empire the Alliance controlled Mirror Universe finally seemed at peace. Unknown though that while the Alliance was distracted a new foe quietly built up its army and would plunge the quadrant into an even fiercer conflict.

21. Shadows Upon the Breach

Chapter Twenty One: Shadows Upon the Breach

Mission
After spending the past month on Cardassia, Duren eagerly returns to the newly repaired Alvex. With new orders from the Detapa Council of great importance, and command of the elite Gamma Squadron, he charges into battle. Not everything is as it appears though.
Mission Date:
279th day in the 2369th of Molar

Slowly, he began to take shape. Particle by particle carefully materialized. Several safeguards were in place to make this amazing task seem ordinary, so much so that everyone had grown indifferent towards it. A few more milliseconds passed as the machine's cycle completed, before leaving the Cardassian commander standing there.

Once the machine had completed its task Gul Duren found himself in the Alvex's transporter room. Exhaling with relief, he merely stepped off of the pad, soaking in the moment. Across the room was a sturdy Cardassian soldier, who immediately stood at attention the moment his commander approached.

"At ease, lieutenant," Duren said with a smile and a slight wave of his hand.

In response the soldier relaxed, yet still managed to keep his gaze upon Duren. It was something that the Cardassian commander had not experienced in a while. Aboard a Cardassian vessel, especially in a time of war, brought a certain amount of respect to whoever was in charge. Down on the planet there were no such distinctions, as even a war hero could be regarded as just another face in the crowd.

Exiting the transporter room and leaving the impressionable soldier behind, Duren found that everything about him was more relaxed. The bustle of passing officers was turned into a pleasant hum of voices. A gentle sensation of movement beneath his feet brought a smile to his face. Even the uniformed coloring of the walls seemed to be a welcome addition. These were the things one noticed after finally coming home.

Walking down a hallway Duren couldn't help but to think of how odd such a notion was. As steadfast and accommodating as the Alvex had been since he took command, it had never had the same appeal that it did now. Home was always his small slice of soil on Cardassia Prime, never this ship. Now however, he couldn't help but to have a fresh attitude about the mighty vessel.

With the Galor class warship parked in an orbiting shipyard for repairs, he had been given the chance for some rest on the surface below. At least, that is what he had first believed. Not long after returning home, along with his guests Dukat and Ziyal, they had been summoned by the Detapa Council and labeled traitors of the state. It had been an action that Duren had no clue would happen the moment he brought the Cardassian hero back to their people, but it had only been the beginning of things during his respite from the war.

Natima Lang, head of Cardassia's ruling council, had sought to make an example out of him and Dukat to instill further obedience within the ranks of Cardassian citizens. Built on personal prejudices and already absolved crimes, she had tried to bring them down. Instead, Duren had implored the woman to put such petty things aside for the sake of Cardassian survival. It had not been an easy thing for her to do, but ultimately with Dukat's help she was able to see the bigger picture she had a role in.

Shortly after this first meeting the Detapa Council had made a formal announcement, exonerating Dukat and his daughter for the past transgressions they were accused of. All of Cardassia Prime celebrated the occasion, feeling that one of the greatest heroes of their kind had finally returned home. Despite whatever the Detapa Council had tried to do to tarnish Dukat's stature, it had obviously failed. Surely this was one reason why Natima felt pressed to support the people's hero once more.

Beyond this hero worship there was a much larger reason for the council to throw their support behind Dukat. The constant state of war that the Cardassian people had endured for over a decade and a half had caused morale to be abysmal. At the onset of the war against the Romulans then Cardassia had already had its fill of fighting, having just stamped out the Terran Empire once and for all. Losses and wins didn't account too much anymore, as they knew that no matter what today brought then tomorrow would hold no escape.

Rising death tolls could only result in a decrease of faith amongst loyal citizens. It was evident in their eyes that as the war stretched into the future, their hope of success faded into the past. What Cardassia needed was a symbol to spark their allegiance once more, and keep the fragile state of affairs from fracturing even further.

All across the planet signs of a crumbling nation began to surface. Crime was resurfacing as a major issue, and the apathy found within the typical citizen was alarming for Duren. These issues stayed mostly in the smaller cities that dotted the landscape, leaving most within the bustling environment of the capital to be largely unaware as to how bad things were really getting.

It was because of this isolation that the Detapa Council had turned a blind eye to the rampant social decay, focusing solely on their political stance within the Alliance and the war. Before returning to the Alvex Duren could already see this state begin to change. When he had revealed that a message from Natima's office had ordered him to rendezvous with the Ferengi vessel that had Dukat aboard, and thus begin the entire situation they now found themselves in, then it had become apparent that the resulting subterfuge was close to home. Though Duren now realized that it had been his friend Bendrick, not Natima, that had sent him the order he was hardly about to reveal such knowledge. Cardassia needed Dukat, and for helping to bring him home then Bendrick hardly deserved the inquisition he would be put under were his involvement with the matter revealed.

Simply saying that the council would take a more active role in promoting a stronger Cardassia had not been enough for him and Dukat, nor would it be enough in the eyes of so many loyal citizens. The council needed help. Help from someone untainted by so many years in politics that burdened them all. From this were several meetings involving the two Cardassian men as they tried to reshape the future of their people.

Before he was disgraced into fleeing Cardassia, Dukat's record had been a shining example to all of his compatriots. As a personal hero to many, it did not surprise Duren at all that the Cardassian people would respond so favorably to his exoneration. A smile made its way to Duren's face as he thought about this. How ironic that the traitors of the state had become the salvation of the state in a mere few hours.

With Dukat's return many changes were taking place to strengthen the Cardassian spirit. Many ways that the Detapa Council had led their people were falling by the wayside as the demands for new reforms were heard from every region of the planet. For the first time in a long while Cardassia Prime seemed whole, and its people rejuvenated. Knowing that this sudden stir of energy was caused by Dukat, a man that so many had forced into exile never to be heard from again, left Duren with a deep feeling of satisfaction as the turbo lift slowed and opened onto the bridge.

Taking a step into the round command center brought an entirely new feeling to wash over Duren. When last he had seen the Alvex's bridge several of the stations were no longer working, bulkheads loosely hung from the ceiling, and a tangled web of cracks made their way along the view screen. Never before had Duren endured such a fierce campaign as the Niradryx sector, taking on so many Romulan vessels in an attempt to destroy one of their long range sensor relays. That ferocity had taken its toll on the Galor class warship, leaving it in dock for well over a month before repairs were completed.

Now what he saw hardly appeared to be the same vessel. A new view screen was fixed to the bridge's forward sections. The loose plating had been meticulously welded back into place, though there was no sign that it had ever been damaged. Even the walls surrounding him seemed to sparkle with a freshness that he doubted he had ever seen before. It was truly remarkable that the repair crews had managed such a pristine job on an otherwise derelict vessel.

"Commander on deck," came a voice from the center of the room, causing those few soldiers present to snap to attention at the sight of Duren.

Here was a gesture that Duren believed he would never grow fully accustomed to. Holding the rank of gul for several years had granted him many such gestures, yet he still felt that such things were unnecessary. He was merely a soldier, doing what he could to ensure the stability of his people.

Out of that respect came an odd feeling as he was regarded by his crew. It wasn't merely this mindset that bore him this feeling, but also all that he had just been through. Having been considered a traitor and dragged through the mud before Natima and the rest of the Detapa Council had listened to reason; Duren had hardly expected anyone to pay him tribute again. Still, there was a part of him that welcomed such admiration.

"At ease," the Cardassian commander said before crossing the bridge and examining a newly installed chair in the room's center. Outwardly it appeared no different than his last, or any other that certainly was installed throughout the fleet. Easing down into its leather recesses he knew the similarities ended in appearance, as it felt alien to his touch.

"Sir," came a voice as unfamiliar to Duren as the chair, breaking into the commander's thoughts as he tried to adjust himself to the new furniture.

Pulling his gaze away from all of the repairs that had been done to the Alvex and resting it on the man that had suddenly gotten his attention, Duren took in the face of a tall soldier, who he did not recognize. Noticing the rank insignia pinned to his uniform then Duren's thoughts on the man changed quickly.

"Our status report, sir," the executive officer said as he handed Duren a P.A.D.D. containing the list of repairs that the Alvex had undergone, as well as the crew compliment.

Taking the small device in his hand the Cardassian commander couldn't help but to merely brush his attention upon it before focusing back on the soldier before him. Broad shoulders framed the man's body as the rest of his muscular girth filled out the leather uniform, giving the large man a daunting appearance. Seeing this man come charging at you across a battlefield would certainly spell out your own demise, yet nothing of his appearance is what Duren focused on as he spoke his next words.

"And you are?" he questioned, though he already knew full well what this man's role was, despite not understanding why he had been so placed.

"Glinn Namret," the powerful man replied. When it became obvious that Duren was looking for a fuller answer, he added "Your new first officer, sir."

"Yes, yes I know," Duren hastily replied. "But what happened to Glinn Ekryt?" Ekryt was a fine officer that had served aboard the Alvex for many years, never once bemoaning his position on the ship. Niradryx had cost the Galor vessel the lives of several crew members, but Duren knew the glinn had not been one of them. In fact, his memory told him that the soldier had returned from the battle unscathed.

"Sir, Ekryt requested a transfer," was Namret's trained voice reply. "Apparently he wanted to pursue something in military logistics."

Ekryt had wanted a desk job. That was what Namret really meant by his statement, as anyone who would enter into such a tedious department as military logistics pursued such a commission for reasons other than career advancement.

Duren could not fault Ekryt for wanting to step away from the tides of war and settle into a less hazardous career on the stable grounds of Cardassia Prime. Anyone with half a sane mind would find themselves headed for the large tan office building given the chance between it and charging into unknown battles against the Romulans. That is, anyone but Duren. While he did not enjoy being tossed to the wolves so often, he was determined to remain steadfast in his position. Someone had to be willing to dedicate their life to the Romulan's downfall, and Duren was simply too loyal to his people and his home to consider doing anything other than protecting them.

"Very well," Duren muttered to his new executive officer. Replacing such a fine soldier as Ekryt was a hard thing to do, and would take some time to adjust. "Carry on." There a sharp click of boots as Namret gave a quick gesture of respect to his new commander before leaving Duren's presence to attend to other matters.

Left alone in the bridge's center, Duren eased back into his chair. Again, he found his gaze drawn to the sheer newness that the Alvex now conveyed. Fingering the P.A.D.D. given to him he just enjoyed the feeling of the moment as it washed over him. Spending some time away from the politics and bloodshed of war had invigorated his otherwise sullen being, and seeing what was now his to command only increased the excitement he felt about charging back into the fight against their deadly Romulan foe.

Before he fell too deeply into his emotions a voice suddenly barged into them. "Sir, we are receiving a hail," came a young officer's voice.

"Put it on screen."

The fresh view screen changed its view of Cardassia Prime's surface to the stone faced expression of a Cardassian soldier. Duren recognized the man as being with military intelligence, though his name escaped the gul's mind. Out of respect he rose from his chair and took a step forward.

"Gul Duren," the officer tonelessly greeted. "I trust that the Alvex has completed its repairs and is ready to get underway."

Having the sudden urge to glance back at his chair and the P.A.D.D. that now rested upon it, Duren merely replied "Ready and willing." In truth Duren was unaware of the exact status of his vessel, having not yet done anything more than skim the finer details from Namret's report. If what he had seen since beaming aboard was any indication, then the Alvex was in the best condition since it had first been constructed.

"That is very good to hear." A pause came as both soldiers waited for the other to speak. Finally, the steely officer on the screen broke the silence. "Your orders then are to report to the Lao'Delk sector where Gamma Squadron has assembled. Further orders are being sent to your database now." With that the comms line was cut, leaving Duren no opportunity to either object or accept the new orders.

The fact that the Alvex was needed so quickly to rejoin the war was something that Duren admittedly had mixed emotions about. On one hand he was eager to leave behind the political strife of the past month to do something more meaningful to help his people. With a fresh vessel he was also excited to see what it was now capable of.

Yet, he couldn't help but to wonder if the vessel was indeed ready for this mission; especially if it entailed combat against the Romulans. The Alvex might be glistening with a fresh coat of paint, but they would need more than a bright sheen to hold the Romulans at bay. These were his orders though, and he wasn't about to disobey them.

Moving back across the room he returned to his chair and noticed every officer present had their attention fixed solely on him. Were he another man, this unwavering attention may have made him paranoid. As it was he simply brushed it off as he began to pass along orders.

"Signal the shipyard to disengage all docking clamps, and make sure all airlocks are closed and secured. Helm, once the station releases us give me one quarter impulse until we break orbit. Increase to full warp once we're clear, and set course for the Lao'Delk sector."

The following moments unfolded as though everything was a well-tuned machine. Cardassian soldiers were indeed living and feeling beings, but coursing through them was years of military training that left each of them as capable as any single person could be. Duren's orders were dispatched throughout the Cardassian vessel, and in response the Alvex crew went about sealing their vessel and preparing for whatever mission they were going to embark on.

Outside of the Galor class vessel several tiers of scaffolding folded away, followed by a docking connector that shrank back from the warship towards the shipyard's central structure. Left to float free just above the Cardassian home world, there came a bright glow from the ship's engines before it pushed away from where it had spent the past month. All around them buzzed smaller vessels and repair crews, watching on as the Alvex prepared to leave them behind. Once they were clear of the flotsam there was a slight hesitation as the helm officer switched from impulse engines to warp, before the warship sped off in a breathtaking display of brilliance.

Watching as the view screen was dotted by points of light that streamed by the Cardassian vessel, Duren's thoughts drifted in curiosity over what their orders were. Looking around the bridge there was a busy atmosphere conveyed as each officer present remained focused at their assigned stations. He knew that it would be several hours before the Alvex arrived in the Lao'Delk sector, even traveling at maximum warp. "Glinn Namret," he beckoned over his shoulder.

"Yes sir?"

"I'll be in my office going over the mission details. Don't disturb me until we have arrived in the Lao'Delk sector." With that Duren turned on his heels and exited the gleaming bridge, leaving Namret and the rest of his crew to tend to their duties.

Inside of his office Duren had to take a moment to adjust. Like every other part of the Alvex that he had seen his office seemed to glow with a fresh coat of paint; while the flawless design work impressed him. It was an inspiring thing to take in, yet something seemed missing.

Crossing the room he thought about what the office around him could possibly be void of. The carpeting appeared to be newly installed. Not a single mark could be seen anywhere on the gray colored walls. Easing himself into his office's chair, which was as new and unfamiliar as everything else, he let his mind focus on the fours walls around him; feeling as though such an action would reveal what his instincts believed was different around his surroundings. It didn't take long before he discovered what had changed about the room.

His office lay bare as he sat staring. For all of his life Duren had been an avid fan of art, especially those created by his people. This appreciation was something that had made itself known in every aspect of his life, including his military part. Before Niradryx, the walls of his office had been covered by several paintings done by noted Cardassian artists. Without them he realized just how dull and uniformed the Alvex was. Once they had completed their mission then he made a note to buy some new paintings to display. Perhaps even by Dukat's daughter Ziyal, who was proving herself to be quite a budding talent.

Any such excursions would only come after the mission that the Alvex had been sent on. Stroking a few keys in front of his desktop monitor, Duren had the computer search the database for the orders they had received, and waited for the terminal to display the message. A sneer made its way onto his face as the computer finished its task, and an image of Natima graced the screen.

"Gul Duren," the woman tonelessly began. "Once the Alvex rendezvous with Gamma Squadron in the Lao'Delk sector, you are to assume command of the task force. According to reports, there is a Romulan mining operation in the Gre'kari system. Your orders are to destroy the operation at all costs, then return to Cardassia Prime. Do not engage any Romulan vessels unless absolutely necessary. For the sake of our people, you must succeed." With that the screen dimmed and the woman's face was replaced by a long range scan of the target system.

Nothing short of utter surprise washed over the gul as he tried to absorb everything Natima had just said. When he had been told that new orders awaited him, then he had hardly expected those orders to come from Natima Lang. Considering everything that the two had been through over the past month the gul could find no reason why the woman would entrust him with a mission; especially a mission of consequence.

Not only had she given him a mission, but also the authority to take command of Gamma Squadron the moment the Alvex entered the Lao'Delk sector. Even though he had worked with her extensively for the good of Cardassia Prime, Duren still hadn't been left with the impression that she trusted him. If this was in fact the case then what would compel her to lay such a responsibility on his shoulders?

Thinking over this question, another possibility slipped into his mind. Last year the Alvex had been sent to the Venru sector on the order of Natima and the Detapa Council. At least, that is what Duren had believed. In truth the order had come through the woman's office by way of his friend. Knowing how convincing that order had been, the Cardassian gul had to consider that the same thing was happening again. If it was so hard to imagine that Natima had entrusted such a task to him, then he had to wonder if the whole thing was another rouse planted by someone for purposes he could only guess at.

Only a few heartbeats were devoted to the possibility before he shoved it away. While it was possible to forge the order and make it seem genuine, Duren had a hard time believing that was the case. Before, the order had been sent on an encrypted subspace channel, and was restricted to a few typed words. In this instance the order had apparently been sent directly from military command, and consisted of an actual recording of the woman. To create a hoax of this magnitude could only come with considerable effort, which was something he hoped no one was desperate enough for.

Letting the question about the order's authenticity fall away, he then had to consider what exactly the order entailed. Gamma Squadron was a well known, and highly honored, task force. Over forty-two separate successful campaigns had been attributed to them, all coming at very few losses. During the war, Gamma Squadron had been a shining example of just how tactful Cardassians could be when the need arose.

Knowing the squadron's record caused some hesitation within Duren. How was he expected to lead this elite group into combat? Certainly his own record was pale in comparison to any commander found with the squadron, yet the Detapa Council had left the responsibility of command squarely on his shoulders. It was an honor he hardly felt deserving of.

Beyond any admiration for the infamous squadron was a gnawing curiosity over the mission they were expected to complete. The Gre'kari system was as foreign to Duren as any piece of space could be. Other than it was under the control of the Star Empire, not a single fact about the system was known by him.

Tapping on his office's computer brought up a file containing every scrap of intelligence that had been gathered on the system. Located far from the border between Klingon and Romulan space had allowed the small five planet system to evade aggression by both sides. Aside from the mining operation on the third planet's moon then nothing of importance seemed to be contained within the system.

Going back to the long range scans that had replaced Natima's face, he carefully studied the layout that was displayed. Gre'kari seemed as vacant and innocuous as any system Duren had come across. Nothing seemed to be present in the sector, aside from where the Romulan mining operation was based.

Around this moon were dozens of indistinguishable tiny specks floating in orbit; probably weapons platforms. Other than these stations there were no other signs of life on the readout. No starbases, no shipyards, not even a single vessel. The sheer emptiness confused Duren, as he couldn't imagine that the Romulans would leave a sector so vulnerable. Especially a sector that, while a fair distance from the border, was still within range for an Alliance attack.

Over the next couple hours as the Alvex made its way to the Lao'Delk sector, Duren spent the duration in his office; studying the details that concerned their mission and weighing the consequences in his mind. Several facts were gleaned from this careful process. For one, he was able to determine that it was deuterium that the Romulans carefully mined on the Gre'kari moon. Used as a fuel source for their vessels made the gas a useful, if not abundant, product.

Beyond the available information that Duren studied in regards to the Gre'kari sector, he also spent some time catching up on the latest news from the frontlines. Few on Cardassia Prime were given the chance to know every battle and every power shift that occurred during the daily bloodshed. Finer details were ultimately ones that the average citizen was indifferent towards. This plus the fact that the rush of activity following Dukat's exonerations had kept Duren busy caused the gul to neglect reading about the activities of his fellow soldiers.

Now with a moment of spare time, the Cardassian soldier immersed himself in every report that was on file. Both hard fought victories and miserable defeats were presented for Duren's leisure, to which he eagerly read them all. At times he was so focused on the reports that nothing would have been able to tear him away, while in other instances he become so troubled by what he read that he forced himself to step away and pace around before resuming.

At one point he felt the need for a drink. Stepping across his office, he found himself staring at the newly installed replicator. Ever since he had been a child Duren hadn't thought much of the device; believing that the finest things were still created by using one's hands. Over the course of his life he had grown to hold a less harsh stance about it, yet still avoid its use whenever he could. Telling the computer that he wanted an Antarian Cider, he patiently waited as an electric hum came to his ears before a small glass of the tart juice materialized before him.

With his drink in hand he returned to his desk and continued reading, hoping that amidst the reports and listings he could find something that would prove worth his time as he readied himself for the mission ahead. Time slipped away as he immersed himself in the reports and Duren was scarcely aware of just how long he spent before his computer terminal, reading over everything that presented itself. Somewhere between the latest deployments of the Breen forces and a Romulan advance in the Tago'ri sector he was brought back to reality as he felt the Alvex slow.

Spending so much time on a planet for the past month had left him acutely aware of the Alvex's movements, so it didn't come as a surprise when the next moment brought a soft chime and Namret's voice over the comms system telling him that they had arrived in the Lao'Delk sector. Downing the last drops of his cider Duren merely stood from his chair and stepped out onto an awaiting bridge.

The mood of the surrounding crew seemed unchanged since the Alvex had broken Cardassia orbit, though Duren hardly expected any change to have occurred. Each of the officers present had served for many years and fought many battles over the course of the war. These experiences instilled them with a sense of duty that could never be taught by any professor at the military training grounds.

From these hardened soldiers came an atmosphere that Duren admittedly enjoyed. Though war was hardly something he thrived on, there was a certain disciplined attitude that came from people in preparation of a battle that he could appreciate it. Soaking all of this in, he stepped in front of his command chair and firmly planted his feet before commanding "Put Gamma Squadron on screen."

A few carefully pressed buttons carried out this order until a series of Cardassian vessels flooded the view screen. Several who looked on were taken aback by the sight, including Duren. The reputation that preceded Gamma Squadron was much heralded in the Cardassian Empire, and to find yourself in the presence of such soldiers demanded that one take a moment to give due respect.

Nearly fifty vessels made up the squadron, including Galor class warships and Voral class cruisers. In addition to these powerful vessels was a pair of Heroti carriers, each designed to carry close to thirty Hideki class fighters. This was a squadron gunned for war, for the annihilation of any enemy that dared to defy Cardassia. Gazing at the impressive array of ships it was easy for Duren to believe every tale that had ever been told about the squadron's war record. He became lost in his stare, and his admiration, until a voice shook him; relaying that a hail was incoming.

After Duren gave a quick acknowledgment of the signal a narrow faced Cardassian appeared on the screen. "I am Gul Temir, commander of the warship Reglik, and Gamma Squadron." Temir paused on this word, as though he expected Duren to reply in the same manner. When the Alvex's gul made no such gesture, a sneer graced his compatriot's face before he added "We have received our orders from the Detapa Council."

Pleased that Temir, and by extension the whole of Gamma Squadron, had been informed of their assigned task then Duren simply replied with "Shall we be on our way then?"

The question was obviously one that Temir distasted, as the look on his face became even worse. Whatever his reasons for this reaction were, he kept them private before giving a slight nod. "That would be the best course of action," was his reply in an annoyed tone.

Ignoring his fellow gul's demeanor Duren merely turned from the view screen and addressed his officers. "Signal the fleet to set course for the Gre'kari sector, maximum warp."

While those under his direct command went about following his orders, Duren returned his attention to the view screen before him, and the face of the waiting Temir. Before he had the chance to close the channel then the Cardassian soldier on the screen took it upon himself to speak.

"If I may, Duren," Temir began. Another heartbeat passed in stillness before his true intent was spoken. "I would appreciate a word with you."

"Of course, Temir," came Duren's reply in an accommodating tone.

"In private."

There was an odd way that the man's words rolled off his tongue. Nothing about them Duren could easily identify, yet they didn't sit well with him. Still, he saw no reason to deny his comrade this request. "As you wish," he stated before the channel was closed and the screen once again was covered by blurry points of light.

Moving towards his office's doors once more, there was a wisp of his own annoyance that flickered into Duren's mind. Having spent the entire journey to Lao'Delk in seclusion caused him to be far from eager to return. In a time of war a commander's place was on the bridge, vigilant of his crew and ready for battle at a moment's notice. Now that the Alvex was actually heading into conflict then his need to stay in the vessel's command center was even further necessary. Temir seemed as though something important weighed on his mind, and for that reason alone Duren removed himself from where he was needed. After all, the last thing he wanted in the ensuing battle was a distracted commander.

Returning to his chair Duren closed the files that he had focused on earlier and requested an open channel with the Reglik. Once this was accomplished he eased back and waited for Temir to do the same. Only a few seconds ticked away before the two guls found themselves face to face once more.

"What did you wish to speak about, Temir?"

Hesitation came through the Cardassian's worn features as it became evident that he worked to discern the precise words he would use. In this stillness Temir moistened his lips with a flick of his tongue. Finally, he just flat out asked "What right do you have to take over my squadron?"

What right? This question was one that Duren repeated in his mind as he recalled the doubts he had over such a move. While this was something that he had considered himself, he knew it would be unwise to mention any wavering thoughts to Temir. Instead, he merely replied with "The Detapa Council gave me the right."

No longer surrounded by loyal soldiers, Temir felt the restraints he had imposed on himself earlier weren't needed. This left him to show the full contempt he felt over the situation as Duren mentioned the Cardassian ruling council.

"You do not seriously intend to justify your appointment with those bureaucrats do you?" When Duren could come up with no response to this allegation then Temir's lips curled ever further in disgust. "Do you really believe your new title as hero to the Cardassian people should grant you certain privileges from the Detapa Council?" On this final question Temir crossed his arms and flattened them against his chest as he waited for a reply.

The title of hero was one that Duren had no clue about. He had never been thought of in such high regard by anyone before, and in hearing Temir's claim that he indeed was thought of one only further confused the Cardassian gul. It was an emotional state that he couldn't hide as he forced himself to ask "A hero? For what?"

Duren's question was not the reply that Temir wanted to hear, a fact that became instantly apparent by the look that now fell upon his face. "For what?" came the man's words with further contempt. "Certainly you aren't about to feign ignorance to me."

Another still moment drifted away as Duren sat staring at Temir's image on his screen. He wanted to give his compatriot a response, but without knowing full well the basis for Temir's words then he was forced to blankly stare at the man, wondering what would be said next.

As Temir sat aboard his own vessel, he waited for some sort of justification to come from Duren about his words and the Detapa Council's appointment. Nothing came from the gul though, which only further frayed Temir's worn emotions. "Don't try to pretend that you aren't aware of your new status as the man who brought home Dukat. I don't believe the guise," was his cold accusation.

While he could understand everyone attributing the title of hero to Dukat, a title rightly earned, there didn't seem much of a point to Duren for himself to be bestowed such an honor. All he did was bring a wrongly exiled man and his daughter back home. It was something that he felt honor bound to do for anyone, although he couldn't help but to take a certain pride in knowing that he had been able to do so much for his personal hero.

Nothing even close to Dukat's many feats were found in Duren's record, nor was the fact that he righted a severe injustice to the Cardassian people a task that Duren felt praiseworthy. Everything he had done over the course of his career, and his life, were things that he did solely for the benefit of all Cardassia. There was nothing other than fulfilling his duty that caused his life to take the path that it had, and it was something that he hoped no Cardassian citizen would hesitate in doing if given the chance.

"Well?" abruptly came Temir's voice. It had become obvious that the man expected some sort of response to come from Duren, and yet all the gul had done was question his own actions while seeking a reason behind his newfound fame.

Instead of questioning whether or not he was truly a hero, Duren decided to take a different approach with Temir. "I only did what I felt was the correct course of action in regards to Dukat." Before Temir could raise his voice again in protest Duren merely held up his hand and continued on. "But neither he nor any recognition that I might have received were the causes for my orders to lead Gamma Squadron into battle in the Gre'kari system. I'm sure the Detapa Council had their own reasons for the orders that they gave, but as soldiers it is not our place to question orders; only follow them."

"So we are to follow them blindly then, is that it?" None of his disgust in regards to the current situation lessened in his tone as Temir asked this. "Do you even know what is in the Gre'kari system, what our mission really is?"

"I know enough about the system to make certain that our mission is a success," Duren casually said, hoping to cover up just how ignorant he was about things in this instance.

Despite his efforts, there was nothing behind Duren's words that convinced Temir that the gul knew full well the situation they were getting themselves into. "Gamma Squadron is one of the most elite forces in the Cardassian fleet. Our soldiers are battle hardened, and our vessels' kill records are greater than any other group in the fleet."

"And?" Although he hardly meant to sound arrogant, these facts were ones that Duren was very much aware of. From his perspective the only reason that Temir would bring these up was to gloat, which was something Duren felt wouldn't help in the least.

"And?" echoed Temir with impatience. "And this mission that we have been sent on to the Gre'kari system is hardly a proper use of Gamma Squadron's resources."

Having only a small bit of knowledge about where they were headed, Duren hardly felt in the position to weigh Temir's words accurately. Instead of outright asking the man to explain himself, and possibly expose just how limited his own information was on the region, he decided to play on the man's pride to see what exactly he could gain. "Wouldn't any mission in the service of Cardassia and the Alliance be worth your time, Temir?"

Anger flushed Temir's face as his eyes narrowed, staring back at Duren. "Do not try to goad me here, Duren. We both know that a mission as easy as destroying a minor harvesting operation in the Gre'kari system would best be given to a task force with a little less importance placed on them."

"And give the Romulans the chance to repel our attack?" Duren furthered. "No, I think that Gamma Squadron is the perfect task force to ensure that our campaign is a successful one."

"There are only a small number of weapons platforms in the system to defend it! The Romulans don't have a single ship within five sectors, and they have no idea we are coming. We would be better off passing the mission along to the Breen or the Ferengi, and devoting our resources on more vital targets."

Though Duren could understand Temir's point, he hardly felt in the place to question the orders of the Detapa Council. "Any chance we get to strike a blow against the Romulans is a chance I am happy to take. This war has gone on for so long. It needs to be ended, soon, and if there is a way that we can bring a quicker demise to the Star Empire then shouldn't we take it?" On that statement he crossed his own arms in a gesture to show his fellow gul how resolute he was in his stance.

Temir appeared as though he had been backed into a corner, where only an agreement would bring resolution, yet still he opened his mouth to reply. Before he had the chance to voice anymore concerns, a noise suddenly came from off screen and tore his attention away. When his gaze returned he simply said, "I'm needed on the bridge. We can finish this conversation after the mission is completed." With that the channel was closed and Duren was left to sit in his office alone.

Although he was now free to return to the bridge and await their arrival in the Gre'kari system, Duren felt he couldn't do so just yet. His conversation with Temir had done more than allow his appointment to be questioned and his command abilities attacked. In listening to the concerns that the Reglik commander had then he couldn't help but to question what exactly the Gre'kari system offered, and what their mission entailed.

Bringing up the Intel gathered on the remote system once more, he began to scrutinize every detail. Temir had been correct in that the system was seemingly without any combat vessels, nor were there any in the outlying regions. Long range sensor scans had determined the strength of the Romulan defense platforms that were stationed in orbit above the moon where the mining station was placed. Going over the layout of the platforms then Duren began to realize how inadequate the armaments were for repelling an assault.

For the entire course of the war Duren had fought against Romulans. Raids, colony attacks, even full on ship to ship assaults were accredited to him, yet he had never faced something like he faced now. Experience had taught him firsthand the depths of Romulan treachery, so considering this it was hard for him to believe that the destruction of the mining compound would be as easy as it appeared. Yet, there didn't seem to be any other explanation.

Accepting these raw facts about the mission inevitably brought him back to his fellow commander's original concerns. If taking out the Romulan mining operations in the Gre'kari system was really as easy as it appeared, then why send a full task force in; especially a force as strong and as decorated as Gamma Squadron? Surely there were any number of Cardassian squadrons that the Detapa Council had at their disposal, yet they chose this particular one to send in.

Something else occurred to him as he wondered about the defenses in place around Gre'kari's mining station. From what Duren had gathered, there seemed to be little risk involved in the mission. While it was some distance from Alliance territory, it was hardly unapproachable. Unless this station was recently discovered, which the amount of information gathered about it seemed to dismiss such a notion, then why would the Alliance choose now to attack it?

Over nearly a decade the Alliance and the Romulan Star Empire had been locked in a fierce struggle; first for dominance, and now merely survival. With stakes as high as the safety of every citizen that saluted your banner then Duren believed the Alliance would attack any and all targets of opportunity. Yet here this defenseless station had remained untouched for a number of years, asking to be destroyed while continuing to persevere. Questions seemed to stack up in the Cardassian soldier's mind the more he thought about the situation he had been tossed into.

In the same fashion as when the Alvex had been traveling to the Lao'Delk sector, Duren lost several hours in his office. Puzzled by the questions in his mind and encouraged by Temir's own doubts he memorized every gathered fact in regards to the Gre'kari system, as well as the neighboring systems. There had to be something that could shed at least a ray of clarity on the situation, yet the more he committed to memory then the less hope he had that he would find a satisfying answer.

Frustration began to bubble inside of him as he realized how pointless his search was. He was living in a time of war, and in war few things ever made sense. As a soldier he should have realized this, and accepted the orders of his superiors without question. This had been his stance before speaking with the Reglik's commander, and seeing that his frantic searching had all been the result of a commander who felt threatened by his presence caused Duren to curse under his breath.

Whether it had been intentional or not Temir had knocked him off balance. His newly rebuilt vessel, as well as nearly fifty other loyal Cardassian vessels, was on its way to a battle. The strength of the enemy they would be facing was irrelevant, only that a battle was about to be waged. To ensure that those under his command suffered as few casualties as possible then he would need to face the mission with a clear head, void of any lingering doubts. Shaking these doubts aside and resolving to commit himself totally to the destruction of the Romulan base, Duren rose from his chair and exited his office.

A number of hours remained before the squadron would arrive in the Gre'kari system. With some spare time on his hands Duren was finally given the chance to tour his freshly christened bridge. Not only did he get a better feel for the new bridge, which turned out to be far more alien than he expected, but he was also able to shift gears in his mind.

Focusing on the present bridge crew and the stations they manned he gave a nod of approval as he paced the circular room, inspecting everything he could. Around him was a mood that he was unaccustomed to. It wasn't something that was totally foreign, just void from his life during his time spent on Cardassia's surface. Almost tangible was an underlying tension from each of the officers present.

Duren grew uneasy by his own crew's nerves. Together they had faced unimaginable odds in more missions than anyone would care to count, yet his crew had never seemed as unnerved as they did now. Knowing that battle, and possibly one's own demise, waited on the horizon was something that would cause hesitation in any living and breathing soul. Yet, these soldiers had never expressed such a feeling before. It was something that Duren admittedly was unprepared for, and a wisp of concern entered his mind as he wondered how this tension would come into play once the Alvex came under fire.

In order to prepare himself for the battle that loomed ahead Duren had to push his crew's concerns, as well as all other concerns, to the back of his mind. Success of the mission would require his entire focus on the task at hand, not distracted by any personal demons those around him might be harboring. Despite sharing in any feelings of hesitation that might be coming from his crew, Duren knew that nothing could cause him to let his reservations show.

A warship commander was forced to always project an upright and strong image. Standing before an entire crew of eager soldiers that turned towards you for guidance and assurance might be a burden for some, but Duren tried to carry it as lightly as possible. He knew full well what was expected of him, as well as the consequences that would befall him were he to fail in his duties.

Throughout a soldier's training there was a resolute ideal that was ground into each recruit's mind. Loyalty and duty were the staples of Cardassian military, and these were things that Duren upheld without question. Forgoing any nagging feelings that he may have about a mission, or that his crew might have, his mind always found its way back to these things.

Taking a step forward he found himself at the weapons console. This station was one of the most used aboard the Alvex, especially considering the countless battles that Duren had led the warship in. Nothing in its appearance gave away its importance though, as it gleamed with a newness that had become common in the workings of the Galor class warship.

When he approached the station the soldier manning it was caught off guard. Traveling between star systems was slow time, more so for a weapons officer than anyone else. Unable to do anything of use for the moment the officer's mind had begun to drift away. Though he sat there only partially conscious, he had remained fully attuned to his surroundings; causing him to jump when his commander had suddenly decided to stand before him.

"I trust that the Alvex's weapons are on-line and ready to be deployed on my order?" Duren asked as he eyed the lax soldier.

Straightening himself in his station's chair, the soldier simply looked back at Duren and gave a nod of his head. "On your order," the officer added as he tapped in a few commands on the station's console and it blinked its readiness.

Duren didn't ask the officer out of a need to bring him to attention, but because the gul felt a need to be certain the Alvex's weapons were as prepared as her crew. With all of the armaments that Gamma Squadron had at their disposal then Duren planned to swiftly remove the Romulan presence from the Gre'kari system. In order to follow through on this as effectively as possible he realized that a coordinated effort was needed. He was about to speak with his weapons officer to this end, until suddenly a voice caught his attention.

"Sir," the voice simply said from the front of the bridge.

This single word proved to be enough to draw the Cardassian gul's attention toward where the helmsman sat. Placed beyond this officer lay the stretched view screen, showing what lay just outside the Alvex's reinforced hull. Slowly the blurry twinkles began to shrink and form into recognizable dots. Once the heavens nestled back into their normal places a new shape formed in the distance, and Duren realized they were now in the Gre'kari system.

Taking in the scope of what the Romulan territory truly offered he made his way back to the leather command chair. Instead of sitting down he merely stared at everything the screen showed him. Studying a map created from long range scans and seeing something in person were two vastly different experiences, but it wasn't until this moment that Duren began to realize just how wide the gap was.

Beside him Duren suddenly became aware of another presence. From the corner of his eye he glimpsed the uniformed bulk that was his new first officer. "Shall we wipe clean this system of its Romulan infestation, Namret?" he asked without pulling his gaze away from the screen.

"Indeed," was the only word that came in response.

On this word Duren sat down and took his place in the bridge's center. The moon that lay ahead seemed almost inviting, were it not for the weapons platforms that could be seen even from some distance away. No matter though, because they would be swiftly dealt with. Letting his tongue moisten his gray lips, Duren took a final moment for himself before he began his mission to wipe away every trace of the Romulan Empire this system contained.

"Open a channel to the fleet." Once this task was achieved he relayed orders to the vessels surrounding the Alvex. "I want two formations. Galor wings one through four, as well as Voral wings six through eighteen, will follow the Alvex's lead. The rest will take the Reglik's wing, with the exception of Voral wings nineteen and twenty. They will hold back and guard the two Heroti carriers. No need to scramble any fighters if we don't have to."

Following these commands was a series of short messages of acknowledgement before the fleet split down the center and lined up behind their respective flagships. From these two waves they would unleash a fiery demise upon the awaiting Romulan platforms, as well as whoever was on the moon's surface working to mine the deuterium. Smiling about his enemy's imminent destruction Duren relayed the single order to open fire the moment they were within range, before signaling the Alvex's helmsman to take them in at full impulse.

Approaching the Romulan platforms, Duren could do nothing but wait for the bloodshed to begin. In his mind flashed a list of facts about the Gre'kari system and the capabilities of the platforms they were going to engage. Nothing remarkable stood out about the Romulan weapons, yet Duren still saw no harm in going over the details once more before the chaos began.

A few waning seconds ticked by as the Cardassian gul remained seated, aware of Namret's presence beside him. Taking his gaze off of the screen for a moment he fixed it on his first officer and could see that something was troubling the man. In the rush to reach the Gre'kari system and deal with the Romulan base Duren had neglected to speak properly with his new executive officer. Even though this was hardly the time to correct this error he still felt the need to ask the hulking Cardassian what was on his mind, but he was never given the chance.

Suddenly the Alvex shook as the first Romulan platforms fired their payloads at the Cardassian fleet. Thanks to the Alvex's newly installed shield grid most of the weapons that impacted the Galor class vessel produced only the slightest vibration. Still, even with the diminished force, the Alvex's bridge crew suddenly sprang to life as adrenaline began pumping through their veins.

Set against the starry backdrop the Cardassian vessels closed in on their targets. Though the Romulan defense platforms were the first to spring into the battle, they were quickly overpowered as the two converging attack forces opened fire.

In a fashion that could only be described as graceful, each Cardassian vessel opened fire simultaneously. The resulting effect of so many ships suddenly coming to life in retaliation was something that surely would have been the perfect muse for any artist. Charged yellow-tinted phaser blasts mingled with the green colored disruptors fired by the Romulan stations, and became lost until impacting with a slight shimmer.

As he watched on from the safety of the bridge, Duren felt some frustration at witnessing the phaser blasts being denied their targets. Of course he expected such a countermeasure, but that knowledge did nothing to comfort him.

"Signal the other vessels to concentrate their fire," the Alvex's gul ordered as he watched on. Each vessel in the Cardassian fleet had been firing at whichever target seemed most appealing, resulting in the attacking vessels making little headway. Only by pooling their efforts then the line of platforms would be broken.

The closer that the Alvex was to the target then the more frequent the tremors were. Growing with intensity each forceful blast signaled just how quickly the Galor vessel's shields were depleting, and how the vessel would soon be vulnerable. Along with the increasing force came an increase in tension, as the bridge crew watched the Romulan weapons continue to defy the Cardassian fire.

Switching tactics proved to give the Cardassians the advantage they needed in the quickly unfolding battle. Instead of the entire Romulan line coming under small bouts of fire, and constantly able to reflect most of these blasts with their shielding, only a handful towards the center were now pressured into being vaporized. At first even this concentrated effort seemed as though it would prove ineffective, causing the on looking Cardassians' angst to grow tenfold.

Disbelief hung in their minds and their hearts threatened to stop beating as the line of Cardassian vessels and the line of Romulan stations were nearly on top of one another. Neither showed any sign of relenting in their respective attacks, and those aboard the attacking vessels wondered what it would take to end the Romulan threat for good. Just as quickly as this question entered their minds then it disappeared again with an answer.

One of the weapon platforms towards the center began to buckle as it came under fire from half a dozen Cardassian ships. Once the faintly shimmering barrier around it had been weakened into oblivion then it didn't take long before the station's plating dented and twisted away in a fiery blaze. This small glimmer of destruction only served to entice the station's attackers, who pressed their attack with a new ferocity until the Romulan construct disappeared in a flash of disintegration.

Quickly this single platform was joined by several of its compatriots as they were lit up in a series of explosions. Some of these explosions splashed into each other, making the bright orange plumes burn with even more intensity. Covering the Alvex's entire view screen was a brilliance unlike any the warship's crew had seen in a great while. Somewhere between the orange plumes and the dark green specks of plating they found a sense of accomplishment that they hadn't witnessed since their last mission in the Niradryx system, and strangely it was something that each of them had missed.

Aside from the sheer awe that this scene impressed upon anyone who took it in, there was also something else that had taken place. A gap had opened in the moon's defenses, and it was a gap that Duren fully intended to exploit as he ordered the weapons officer to shift his firing solution to the platforms nearest this opening. Without hesitation the soldier sent a few glowing torpedoes in the direction that his gul had commanded, and quickly these platforms were engulfed in flames as well.

Widening the rift, the two wings of Cardassian vessels pummeled the weakened defenses as quickly as their vessels would allow. The distance between the platforms and the Cardassian forces had been a small one when the fleet had warped into the system, yet it had taken longer to reach the defense line than they expected. With volleys of torpedoes and bursts of phasers being exchanged by the two aggressors then time seemed to crawl forward. Created by the frantic nature of battle then reality seemed to become distorted for those involved, but this distortion did not last out, as the Cardassian fleet descended upon the Romulan line.

Led by the Alvex and the Reglik, the two Cardassian formations charged through the gaps in the Romulan defensive line. One by one they approached it, passed through, and were forced to switch their firing solutions from their forward arrays to those in the aft sections. Rapidly the stationary targets began to fall behind them, forcing the Cardassian attackers to slow and turn about.

Made up of warships and heavy cruisers caused the fleet to be sluggish in its maneuvers. The entire time as they swung around to face their enemy they never once relented in their assault, though none of the arrays which now fired upon the Romulans were as powerful as those set on the forward sections of their vessel. It was mostly for this reason they moved to face the platforms head on once again, making certain to leave their best weapons available for striking down the enemy line.

Unlike the Cardassian ships, the Romulan stations had no trouble in returning fire. Disruptor turrets had been evenly installed across each station's outer hull plating, giving it the advantage of attacking an enemy full-on no matter where that enemy was placed.

All around Duren the Alvex began to shake, each tremor more violent than the last. His vessel's outer shielding was down to less than half its strength, and he began to question whether it would hold out for the rest of the battle. Ultimately this curiosity was unwarranted, because the Alvex would continue to fight on until either it was destroyed or the Romulans were.

The Alvex was not alone in this pummeling. Several over ships in the Cardassian line were beginning to see their own translucent shields begin to dim against the Romulan onslaught. Others were struck more fiercely, resulting in several small fires igniting wherever a green disruptor blast made contact with naked hull plating. Both sides seemed to be an equal of the other, yet the Cardassian soldiers hardly seemed aware of this fact.

Once the entire fleet of vessels had completed their maneuvers and stood facing head on with the Romulan defense stations, they released a fury of weapon fire, emptying torpedo tubes and depleting phaser banks against their nemesis. Slowly the attacking fleet made headway against the line of platforms, but not without a cost.

Nearly two thirds of the Romulan platforms had now been obliterated and wiped clean from the surrounding starscape, but the Cardassians wouldn't be satisfied until every last station lay in ruins. Not every Cardassian would be fortunate to survive until this moment, and Duren suddenly began to understand this as a pair of Voral cruisers were suddenly ignited and left to burn uselessly as their respective crews tried to flee.

Watching on Duren knew that the battle had to be ended as quickly as possible. A Galor vessel was set ablaze in the corner of the Alvex's screen as another handful of Romulan platforms met their demise as well. Only a scattered few of the defense stations remained, yet things hardly seemed to be going triumphantly for the Cardassians as should have been. Something was amiss in the battle, and the Alvex's gul became determined to sort the matter out quickly.

Rippling through the Alvex came a fresh tremor as it was struck dead on by another disruptor blast. Tapping a small computer alongside his command chair Duren called up a reading of the vessel's shielding, determined to see how much power remained. Noticing that the protective barrier was now only at fifteen percent Duren was about to move on to other matters, before something caught his eye.

In addition to showing just how strong the remaining shields were, his chair's inset computer also showed where the vessel's shields were being struck. Blinking, he just stared at the readout, making certain that what he saw was more than just an illusion. Seeing it again displayed on the screen confirmed something odd; they were being attacked from behind.

With this revelation Duren suddenly found himself rising from his chair and sweeping his gaze across the bridge. When he settled his focus on the sensor station he found a young officer staring back at him, awaiting orders. "Scan sector four-oh-nine," he ordered.

For a moment the only sound that filled the bridge was the rumbling impacts of Romulan weapons on the Alvex's barely managing shields. Joined by Namret and the rest of the bridge crew, Duren stared at the sensor officer, waiting for her report.

"I'm definitely picking up something," she said as her fingers frantically worked their way across the console.

"On screen," was Duren's curt order. Replacing the image of a crumbling Romulan defense line was empty space. At least, that is what it appeared to be at first. Staring at the screen each officer present began to wonder what exactly the sensors had picked up, until a fresh Romulan weapon platform appeared on the screen. Its appearance was brief, but it was more than enough time to fire a single disruptor blast before cloaking itself once again.

The Romulans had constructed a second defensive line, this one outfitted with cloaking technology! Not a soul among the Cardassian crew was able to hide their shock at this startling revelation, as it was a tactic they had never seen employed over the course of the long and bloody war.

"How are we going to defeat that?" Namret whispered to his commander as he suddenly took a step forward to stand beside Duren.

In honest Duren was still trying to absorb this new tactic as the battle played out around him. The Romulan cloaking technology had been the single greatest advantage that had kept the green blooded aliens from having to submit to Alliance control. They had only used the advantage on their vessels though, never the unmanned platforms that dotted their border possessions. He didn't know if they could be defeated, but he knew they had to be. Some way, some how, they had to be destroyed as well; lest everything they had lost so far been in vain.

"Order the ships to turn and face the cloaked platforms!" Duren yelled as a loud tremor came from the Alvex's plating, signaling that its thin protective shielding had been depleted of power.

With the primary line of defense stations now smoldering in memory, the Cardassian fleet was able to turn and face their new threat. As before, they had difficulty in swinging about, while being struck by a constant barrage of disruptor blasts. The resolve of the Cardassian fleet came under fire as several vessels met their fate at the hands of a cloaked foe.

One Voral was split down the center as a disruptor blast dissected it, letting the inner decks become exposed to the vacuum of space. Another Galor was turned into debris as several platforms struck at it without mercy. Not only were the Cardassian vessels taking damage from the Romulan platforms, but also from each other, as the tight formations caused scattering debris to collide with friendly vessels.

Over a third of the Cardassian fleet was now decimated. To Duren's grim dismay he noticed that the Reglik was one of the recent casualties of the fight, and he couldn't help but to wonder if Temir was surviving in an escape pod or if his soul had passed on from the chaos. Whatever the end result was Duren became even more determined to destroy every Romulan in the sector as the Alvex completed its turn and faced this new threat.

Duren didn't even have to give the order before his weapons officer began firing at the cloaked platforms. Unlike the first wave, this wave proved to be far more difficult. Not because the individual stations were any more advanced than their predecessors, but rather because their constant shifting between cloak and decloak made it impossible for a weapons lock.

The Alvex wasn't alone in its difficulties in striking the enemy line. A handful of yellow charged blasts made their mark and caused the corresponding weapons platforms to shimmer in response, but the vast majority of Cardassian fire continued on into oblivion. During this attempt each of the Romulan stations had no difficulties as they continued to tear the Cardassian fleet to shreds.

Watching on, Duren realized that they wouldn't be able to survive much longer under these conditions. An exploding console from somewhere behind him echoed this sentiment. Daring to search his own brain for only a moment, he grunted his frustration as nothing came to him. Instead of wasting any further time on the matter he returned his attention to his awaiting executive officer.

"Namret," he said in as hushed of a tone as was allowed. "We have to find a weakness in these platforms to destroy them; quickly."

A nod came from the large Cardassian, who then appeared to retreat into his own mind. There Namret found every bit of information that he had gleaned from field reports, hoping that somewhere amidst so much useless data laid a fact that would prove useful. Astonishment washed over his face as suddenly an answer came to him.

"Sir," came a whisper directed at Duren. "The cloaking field."

"What about it?" Duren abruptly asked back, wondering what exactly Namret was getting at.

"I remember reading an intelligence report once that said Romulan cloaks require an enormous amount of energy output to maintain. Each of their vessels is fitted with induction phase coils to regulate this energy." Pausing, he hoped Duren could now see what he was getting at. When nothing of recognition was shown on the gul's face Namret added "Those platforms aren't big enough to incorporate those coils."

Inside of his mind Duren took each of these tidbits, pulled them apart, and tried to see how they fit together. Connecting the dots he began to see where the glinn was going by telling him this, and the same look of astonishment now graced his own face.

"They must have a station to channel the power for the defensive cloaks!" he couldn't help blurting out in such a hushed tone that only the soldier beside him heard.

"If we take out that station, none of the platforms will have the energy required to cloak," Namret added, confirming his commander's statement. "It won't neutralize any of them, but at least it will give us the chance to hit them with our weapons."

Soaking this new information in a new course of action quickly formed in his mind. Every soldier in the Alliance that had given Romulan specs more than a passing glance knew that their cloaking fields gave off a significant amount of neutron radiation. Their ships had been designed to negate as much emissions as possible, but a station may be another matter entirely.

Pulling his gaze away from the view screen, Duren approached the sensor console. Keeping his eyes low he worked in his mind how exactly to use the radiation emissions to his advantage. Another tremor vibrated through the plating around him and a bulkhead whined slightly, threatening to give way. Both of these only caused the gul to quicken his pace and realize just how much in danger of failure the Cardassian fleet was.

For the entire time that Duren crossed the bridge the soldier manning the sensors focused on him. In a stationary battle sensors were hardly in high demand, causing her curiosity to pique as to why her commanding officer approached her.

"Soldier," came a general acknowledgement from Duren the moment he found himself to be standing before the officer. "Can you scan for dense pockets of neutron radiation?"

This question left the officer confused, which became very evident in the look she now wore. It was something she couldn't imagine her commanding officer would ask her, but instead of wondering why she merely turned her thoughts onto the how. Tapping a few keys on the console before her, she nodded an affirmative and began to follow through on the order.

Sweeping the Alvex's sensors across the battlefield, several small blips appeared on the console's inset screen. None of these appeared to be what the commander was searching for, as every new sensor echo left his face vacant of satisfaction. The sensor officer wasn't exactly certain what Duren was searching for, but as the scans were completed she became certain that it wasn't nearby.

Not a single indication was found that the station generating power for the cloaked platforms was on the battlefield. Without its location there was no way for them to destroy it, and thus, cripple the platforms that continued to obliterate the Cardassian forces. They needed to neutralize the threat these cloaked platforms clearly were, before Gamma Squadron was so weakened as to no longer be able to complete their mission.

Duren could feel his hand curling into a first as his eyes wandered over the readout scans once more. He knew that in order for the platforms to be receiving as much energy as their cloaks required then the power station had to be nearby, yet according to the Alvex's scans it was nowhere to be found. Trying to determine how exactly the Romulans had managed to keep the station hidden from sensors, he bit his lip in frustration, until an idea struck him.

The Alvex's sensors had been busy sifting through the chaos between the Cardassian vessels and the Romulan platforms, leaving a large piece of real estate to be unexplored; the moon surface. In the rush of clearing a path to the Romulan mining operation they had overlooked the most obvious place where their foe could have placed the power station. He would have chided himself for this oversight, were it not for the fact that another disruptor hit shook the vessel around him and kept his mind on track.

"Recalibrate the sensors to scan the moon's surface," he ordered as he was forced to hold onto the console before him as another fierce tremor rippled through the Galor vessel.

Unlike before, not a single beat of hesitation entered the Cardassian soldier's mind as she reset the sensors to adjust for the moon's surface. Initiating the scan, she watched the readout closely until a large blip suddenly appeared. "Sir, I've found it!" she blurted out.

Maneuvering his way around the console Duren couldn't help but stare at the readout for himself, verifying that what he had been searching for had indeed been found. Built next to the main building of the mining complex was an ordinary and pale green structure that, according to sensors, was buried in layers of neutron radiation.

Though his target had been found, it still wasn't something the gul believed he should celebrate. By planting the power station on the moon's surface next to their objective then it firmly placed it out of reach.

Duren's entire reason for seeking out the platforms' energy source was to neutralize them, and cut a clear path for Gamma Squadron to bombard the moon's mining complex. If the power source was located here as well, behind the line of defense stations, then what purpose would it serve in forcing them to power down? Clearly this had been taken into consideration when the Romulans had deployed these platforms.

Without anything new from his commander, Namret took the opportunity to approach the man. Though he would never outright question a commanding officer, his nature did cause him to wonder what their next move was going to be, and he couldn't help but to let his tongue slip as he voiced this concern.

Namret's abrupt question caught Duren off guard, as the revelation concerning the platforms' power source had caused him to retreat back into his mind. It was a fair question; one that Duren had at the moment as well, and one that needed an answer quickly. Once he turned to face his executive officer then it was clear that the large man was oblivious to the predicament. Pulling him in close so that no one in the crew could hear he muttered, "We can't get to the power generator. It's on the moon's surface."

Instantly Namret understood what this meant for their efforts against the Romulans. A line of weapon platforms were standing between them and a successful campaign, yet since they were equipped with cloaking devices then they could hardly be brushed aside so easily. Still, there had to be a way to circumvent the Romulan defenses in this instance. Every wall had its crack to exploit; all they had to do was find it.

With every part of the Romulan strategy now exposed for his examination the Alvex gul tried to determine where he could punch through and bring about a quick and decisive victory. His determination had carried him into impossible odds over the course of the war, always to come out triumphant on the other side. If only some of that determination could be transformed into inspiration then a new strategy might come to him.

Adjacent to the screen on the console was a second screen that was covered with readings from every Cardassian vessel in the fleet. Dismay continued to grow inside of him as he watched a registry number slip off the screen, signaling the ship's destruction. Taking in the number for each vessel left in Gamma Squadron, something occurred to him. Not all of their pieces were on the board yet. Realizing this, a new rush of hope came to him.

Pushing away from the sensor console, Duren marched towards the bridge's center with new vigor. His fresh attitude was apparent to every soldier that was stationed on the bridge, causing several of them to look up and Namret to follow a step behind. Once Duren had regained his place next to the leather command chair he looked over his shoulder at the glinn.

"I want Voral wings nineteen and twenty, as well as the two Heroti carriers, to break off and join the fight," Duren ordered before the comms officer worked to relay the message.

"What good will a few more vessels do against the cloaked platforms?" softly came Namret's voice. A look of concern was flecked in the glinn's eyes, as he saw his commander's order as nothing more than a senseless waste of lives.

Gul Duren was not about to be defeated so easily. Not by the Romulans, and not by any doubts that those around him may be harboring. If they were going to claim success in this campaign then he knew it would require every vessel he had at his disposal. That, and a strategy that was a far cry from those he studied in textbooks at the academy.

Ignoring Namret's concerns he stared ahead, noting the fresh dots that were just coming into range of the battle. Under his breath he counted down as the distance was rapidly diminished. "Almost….almost…." he muttered. Blinking away a drop of sweat he watched on until they were in position before suddenly commanding, "Order the carriers to launch all of their fighters."

When the order was received the bulging pair of vessels halted in their approach, creasing down the forward bow. An inviting blue glow came from these openings, until they were blotted out by a rush of tiny dots. The insect sized vessels came together, forming a deadly swarm that now came headfirst at the crumbling Cardassian line.

For only a moment Duren indulged himself by staring at the magnificent Hideki fighters, before turning to face the Alvex's weapons console. Namret continued to follow closely on his commander's heels as Duren approached the console, working in his mind the necessary details his plan needed to be a success. Settling things in his mind, a smile briefly showed on his face.

Without a word he positioned himself behind the weapons console, brushing aside the soldier who had manned the post moments ago. It wasn't that he felt the officer couldn't handle the task at hand, but it was something he preferred to do himself. A task of this nature needed a personal touch, and as the commanding officer then those around him could do nothing but silently comply.

Although he had no problems complying with his commander in a battle crisis, Namret simply could not wrest himself of the curiosity that was rampant in his mind. Placing a hand on the console next to Duren's as they tapped away, he felt an obligation to ask. "What do you have in mind, sir?"

"Watch," was the only word that came from the man as he lost his focus to his hands as they danced across the console's various controls.

Issuing orders to the battered remnants of the Cardassian task force, Duren began to see his plan take shape. Galor and Voral ships came together, forming new wings in an attempt to press into the Romulan line as best as they could. Duren's plan didn't rely on these powerful vessels however, but instead on their much smaller allies.

Determined to see their mission become a success, and bolstered by fresh orders from the Alvex, the swarm of tiny Cardassian fighters pushed their impulse engines until the point of nearly burning up. With steadfast resolve they bore down on the line where their brethren fought against the Romulan platforms, and flew past them in a single swift effort.

"You're sacrificing the fighter squadrons?" A hint of panic was in Namret's voice as he stood in disbelief, watching the Hideki fighters charge into the arms of certain death.

Instead of making a response, Duren stood silently watching the small vessels speed towards the Romulan platforms. He knew that his plan was about to be put into action, and that those piloting the fighters agreed with his sentiment. If they didn't then they would hardly be speeding towards the platforms so recklessly. All Namret needed was patience and trust. With both of these he would be able to understand Duren's plan, even before it came to fruition.

Time slowed in these waning moments of the battle. Every last cruiser and warship struck at the platforms, missing often. It almost seemed hopeless as so little headway was made, but each knew they had to continue to hold the line. Several of the mighty vessels buckled under their own weight as a continuous barrage of disruptor blasts tore away at each vessel, leaving them to merely burn and smolder away. Surely the panic level was rising steadily aboard every remaining vessel as the hope for victory continued to dwindle away. What they needed was a sign that the battle was still winnable, and that sign came from the fighter squadrons.

Covering the fierce trench of space between opposing forces, the tiny vessels darted and weaved. Where the larger ships that made up Gamma Squadron were only concerned with the bright green disruptor blasts, these Hideki fighters had to avoid crossfire from both sides. It was a task that they seemed well equipped for, as none of them suffered anything more than a slight grazing.

Using agile speed and the compact smallness that their design provided, each fighter was able to approach the line of Romulan platforms without trepidation. For those aboard the larger Cardassian vessels that watched on then a true sense of amazement came. They could hardly believe the nimble ships weren't obliterated by the cloaked enemy platforms. Duren was not among those in disbelief. No, in fact this was something he had counted on when designing his plan.

Nearly upon the Romulan line, each Hideki pilot had to hold in check their desire to strike back and avenge their fellow soldiers that had already lost their lives in this battle. In order to maintain their practically invulnerable status they were forced to keep their weapons cool, and appear as nothing more than simple flotsam to the sensors employed on the defense platforms.

Beyond the menacing defense line loomed the Gre'kari moon where the enemy lay in wait. Each pilot knew what their mission was, and what was at stake should they fail. Since the cloaked weapons had managed to keep the bulk of Gamma Squadron otherwise occupied, then the sole chance for success now rested on them. This single purpose was what each of them focused on as they dodged being struck by weapons fire from either side, until they finally reached the Romulan platforms and broke the line as though it wasn't even there.

While the fighter squadrons conducted their maneuvers, Namret watched on with mounting confusion as to their purpose. Once the Hideki fleet had passed through the line of Cardassian vessels then he had expected them to join in the fight and fire at the cloaked platforms. Seeing them continue their charge without firing a single shot was something that the glinn couldn't understand in the slightest, no matter how he decided to look at it.

The moment the Hideki vessels broke the Romulan line and sped past the platforms then Namret shifted his gaze back to his commander, expecting something to come from the man. Instead of responding to the sudden attention that his first officer gave him, Duren let a knowing smile upon his face as he stepped down from the console. Without missing a beat the soldier that had manned it before once again resumed his duties as Duren made his way across the room to watch his plan unfold from the comforts of his command chair.

Escalating tension could be felt all around Duren, yet he remained seated in perfect stillness. Beside him Namret stood, intently watching the view screen and waiting. Very few of the Romulan platforms had suffered damage at all. Meanwhile Gamma Squadron was being torn to shreds. Something had to be done, and quickly if any of them were going to make it out of the sector alive. Regrettably that only left one option.

Kneeling beside his commander, Namret took one look in his direction before whispering "Sir, we have to retreat."

"Wait for a moment, Namret."

"Sir!" the glinn repeated with a tone laced by fear.

Suffering from the constant barrage of disruptor fire the Alvex shook violently. Littering the view screen was an expanse of Cardassian vessel that shared in this fate, or worse. Still, Duren kept his vessel in place, refusing to break in their attack on the Romulan line. While everyone was concerned with the cloaked platforms and the state of their decaying vessel, they had failed to notice where the Hideki's had gone, or that the small vessels had disappeared in a hazy cloud just above the moon's surface.

Panic threatened to take hold of the mighty glinn as he felt the Galor vessel's demise to be imminent. Behind him a section of plating fell from the ceiling. Somewhere else an officer tried to shout something at Gul Duren, but the words were drowned out by the explosion of a console. Rapidly the situation around them was deteriorating. Yet, Duren seemed unaffected by all of it.

Years of training at the military academy had instilled a strong sense of loyalty in Namret, causing him to hold his tongue in many situations. Aside from this indoctrinated behavior he felt another restriction placed on himself because of Duren's recent celebrity status as the man who brought the hero of Cardassia home. Still, he wanted to say something and try to make his commander understand that they had to leave now or meet oblivion. Arguing with himself he finally relented upon the principals that solidified his role as a Cardassian soldier, as he closed his eyes to await death's embrace. Then, something unexpected happened.

Instead of the Alvex continuing to tremble until it shook itself apart, everything abruptly stopped. No longer did the mighty Cardassian vessel continue to shake under constant disruptor bombardment, and silence now replaced the roar of chaos that surrounded them a heartbeat ago. The glinn simply could not understand what had happened, until he opened his eyes and fixed them on what the view screen now displayed.

Dotted across space were several of the Romulan defense platforms. Steadily they were joined by more and more defense stations as they decloaked and powered down, leaving them useless and vulnerable.

Before anyone had the chance to ask him what had just occurred, Duren ordered the immediate destruction of the now powerless stations. None of the present soldiers hesitated at this command, as each of them was eager to rid the space around the Alvex of any hint of Romulan presence. These stations had taken away the lives of their comrades, and now they were going to repay the debt.

As the remaining officer's on the Alvex's bridge immersed themselves in their new task, Namret knelt once again by his commander. The two soldiers exchanged glances, as the glinn felt it necessary to say something. He wasn't given the chance though, when a brief blip suddenly pulled Duren's attention away.

Set into one of the arms of his chair was a small screen. Remarkably it had survived the battle intact. Now it was demanding the gul's attention, and he tapped in a keyed sequence before a face appeared donning a gray pilot's helmet.

"Mission accomplished, sir," came the pilot's trained reply. "The moon has been sterilized."

"Very nicely done. Feel free to aid in ridding the system of the last vestiges of Romulan power before docking with your carriers." A nod came from the pilot in response before the channel was closed and the screen went blank.

Without the power to maintain their cloaks, or even enough to charge their disruptor cannons, the defense platforms were easily cleared away by the remnants of the Cardassian fleet. Had they been Klingon or Breen then maybe they would have found a perverse enjoyment in cleaning away the Romulan filth, but as Cardassians all they could do was complete their mission with a solemn presence.

Nearly every platform had been turned into debris before something new attracted their interest. "Sir!" a soldier near the sensor console shouted before turning to gaze at the view screen. A fresh sense of terror eased itself into the bridge crew as they took in the scene.

All around them a new force was decloaking, and that force would be far more difficult to destroy then the unmanned platforms they had just encountered. Although the fleet of D'Deridex class warbirds was a relatively small one, Duren knew that what remained of Gamma Squadron wouldn't be able to mount any sort of defense.

Looking back at Namret briefly he knew what had to be done. "Signal the fleet to set course for the Lao'Delk. Get us out of here, maximum warp!" he ordered.

In a fit of rage the Romulan vessels approached the surviving Cardassians and began to fire towards their battered enemy. They may have arrived too late to prevent the Cardassians from their objective, but they were prepared to exact retribution nonetheless. Unfortunately for them it was still too late, as the remaining Cardassian ships punched their warps drives and sped out of the system before a single disruptor blast touched their hull plating.

Traveling at full warp and leaving the horrific battle site behind him, Duren had to take a moment to consider what he had just survived. The attack on Gre'kari had appeared to be such a simple mission, one with very little risk involved. Assuming that destroying the harvesting station would be an easy kill had been a mistake. A grave one at that.

Letting the death tolls and the senseless loss settle into his mind Duren could do nothing but nestle into his leather chair. He hoped that every soldier that had just perished had not done so in vain, and that their costly victory was worth the loss. On this hope he added another, as he hoped the deaths of so many would end soon, or else he knew there wouldn't be anymore blood left for Cardassia to shed.